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am 2 9 l 1 m a J S. MCEWEN CARBONIZATION 0F COAL original Filed Jun 16. 1920 3 sheets-sheet 1 INI/ENTR Z BY //J ATTORNEY om 2 9 l L,

s. McEwE'N CARBONIZATION OF COAL Original Filed June 16 1920 3 Sheetsrsheet /NVENTR coarse particles for alonger periodn thev cyclone. Here the ow carbonized dust.col

' naamw. 1,1929.,`

Re. lil-8l UNITI-:n STATES 1 iAT1ar1-Vrorifice.,l

ysAlliiinr. nonwnN, or LoNDoN, ENGLAND, AssIoNon., Vmr nnsNE Ass'IeNnnN'rs, 'ro

INTERNATIONAL coAL cAnBoNIzA'rIoNconrANY, 'A-conronA'rIoNoF DELA- wAnn.

cAnBoNizATIoN A or GOAL.

original No. 1,481,140, 'dated January 15,- ieai, serialn. 389,399, ala :une 1e, im, .Application for' reissue led Felmuuy 11,- 1985.- -Beria1 No. 8,583.

' Division A Attempts which have hitherto been made 'invention when circulation is applied. The to carbonize finely'dividcd `fuel such as coal parts marked with the same reference letters so as to obtain a comparablysubdivided coke n the three figures. perform the same funchave consisted in showering uthe owdered tion.

Vfuel* through' aretortexterally cated so Fig. 1 Vis a diagrammatic elevation of a that the'supply of theat is maintained within .Q form of apparatuszin which the volatile prodtheretort by transference from the walls of ucts of the carbonization are circulated by thereto'rt. `Such methods'are not-economical means of a. fan;

und the capacity of the retorts used is limited 1g. 2' is a like view of anlapparatus. in by 'the area of the hot surface 4required. to 'Whichthe circulation is by means ofproducts maintain the contents offth'e I etort'at'z the of combustion issuing through injector;

necessary temperature. and i By `the present invention the powdered F1 3 1s a vertical section of an apparatus fuel to wit 'a solid fuel as coal and/or analoinw ich the subdivided fuel us solid 4fuels is heated whilein suspensionl the carbonizing chamber. Y 1n an elastic fluid which is caused to travel- Referring to Fig. 1 coal dust fromahopper `to delay thesettling of the particles by gravia is dlscharged by a gas-tight feeding device tationfa length of time to distil'from the coal b into apipe c where 1t enters a current of gas while thus 'suspended a substantial percent? circulated through the system by al fan d age of its volatile content1 and under condiin the direction indicated bythe arrows. tions to leave the residuum asA carbonized Between the fan d and the' coal feed b the dust-coke-ewhich is ultimately withdrawn, plpe c receives the products .of combustionv said elastic Huid being maintained at the necfrom the furnace f fed through a pipe f1 essary temperature by heat supplied-within withsome of the gas produced, and through the Walls of the zoneof carbonization.

The elastic fluid may be heated before inf mixture of gas-and air contains the minimum troductio'n- -intol the carbonizin'g 'chamber or excess of oxygen above that required to burn the carbonizing'chambendue provision being The hot gas having taken up the coal made for separating the carbonized fuel at mayabe products of combustion of gases. inthe gas. The delivery pipe of the fan d extroduced into the chamber. `In the former tends through the uppler part of the rfurnace maythe elastic lluid, and' in either' case combustion is used in heating the gas in cir- 'the elastic fluid' may -be circulated through` culation before itA enters the system.

dust carriesit 1n suspension into an upwardl expandinv pipe or chamber h'where the e feet alrea y referred to is obtained. Having afsuitable point. Y

The time duringvwhicha' particle of fuel A should besubject to the temperature of car-Y passed'up the expanding chamber the duv'st bonization depends' on its size. Since strictly and gasdeseend'to enter tangentially into uniform grinding is impractiiiblel provision the` upper part of; a separator 'i constructed is preferably made forsuspe'nsion' of the .like the apparatus commonly known "as a heated elastic fluid, than of the finer. par# vlects to be removed y periodically =.openin tcles. Thus thel gas carrying` the particles the discharge ,valve k, while the gas is dis- .may be caused-to traveldlrpwards in an excharged along the axisof they separatorq panding` chamber so thattheeoarse particles-J through thevplpe l which branches, withoney may be delaged by gravity more than' the fine branch t that conducts the gas 'or rathersome particles. uch a provision is also useful of the gas into" the suction side of the fan d for securing a relative movement of the elas-V while the other branch conducts the rest of the tric, fluid` and the particles which it carries, gas-away from the carbonizing-apparatus'.

Vcase thegases produced bythe carbonzation f so that some ofthe eat of the products of' a result obtainable in several other ways, sucli bg bailles in the path of the fluid. T e accompanying diagrams'illustrate the lcounter-weig ted rliefvailve `o into a pipe The volatile products fron/n the .coal dust escape througlh lthe,othe r. branch having the 05 is blownl into pipe f* with air in such proportionthat the p which conducts them. to a condenser g, where oils and the like are condensed while the permanent gases pass by pipe r to a gas holder (not shown), a.po1tionof said gases being drawn intotbe furnace f.

The apparatus may be charged at the b.e-

ginning with gases sufficiently freefrom uncombined oxygen to avoid explosion and the furnace f may be originally'-fired with any suitable iuel. The temperature of the system should be about 500 to 800 degrees C. after the l admission, of the material to be carboni zed. p

. The chamber -(isis surrounded at its upper partwith an annular pipe b3 supplied with powdered coal from a hopper ci. -Jets b* form communication between the ,pipe'ba and they interior of the chamber. c3. Into'v the lower part of the chamber extend gas burners f'. l At the top of theretort a pipe p3 conducts the volatile roducts of carbonization and the products o Acombustion from burners f through a condensing plant (not shown) a l portion of the gases from this-plant are returned as by a blower through pipe d to the .annular pipe b to carry the powdered coal through jets vb. into the, chamber c. Here the particles of coal descend the hot products of combustion rising from the burners f which are fed with another portion ofthe gases from the condensingplant, and according to the arrangement shown in this figure there is a hot gaseous medium or elastic lluid which travels upwardly `counter to the gravitatingcoal particles, in the manner heretofore specified, so as to delay the settling ofthe particles by gravitation until they have been subjected to the distillationthe temperature within the carbonizin chainber being maintained by heat supplie within the lower portion of the carbonizing zone, `ias by means of the burners j'sx that supply-both` as and air to sup ort -combust-ion, and in act soas to retard) the settling and toliold the' coal particleswhich are fed into the upper portion of the carbonizing zone through pipes b9 in sus ension until the carbonization, to wit: partial)carbonization is realized. and during this period there is a continuous withdrawa or removal of the gases of the process from the'pipe-pleading from lthe vupper interior portionv of the carbonizing chamber c. The carbonized residue. preferably parta-lly vcarbonized or partially distilled because 4 it is a residue of relatively lowtemperature treatment-ultimately reaches the bottomfrom which it is withdrawn as desired, as by meeting .rator and wh Coal thus fed and opposed by the counter form of a cloud but is retarded in its down ward passage due to said Vupward rising hot Vmeans ofa discharge valve indicated by c. h

current of rising hot gasesg'ravitates in the a carbonizing zone while carried orI maintained in suspension Withinthe elastic fluid hot gases-heated so that the temperatu'reof the system is about 500 to degrees C. In other words, at thistemperature' a low tein- `perature distillation or'carbonization of the coal is carried out while and until .the coal thus suspended has been subjected to a degree of carbonization. Moreover, according to the process there is driven olf asubstantial por tion .of the volatile content of the coal and there is provided' combustible gas which is withdrawn or permitted' to escape and the 'solid' portion of the coal not converted into gas remains in finely divided form or state, to wit, a residue of carbonized dust which withdrawn or removed as desired as the process functions by simply'opening a suitablyconstructed discharge valve.

I believe I amvthe rst to carbonize coal. as

for example by heating preparatory to and during carbonization by'feed'ing the coal into a current ofhot gas, or gases, iiowing along and through a pipe leadngto a cyclone sepabonize the coal prior to'separatinhr of the solid hot gas is relied upon to cul'- particles or carbonized product fiom the gas,

with which .the solid particles are intimatelv mixed, with and by the' cyclone separator from which the residual coal particles on' the one hand and the gases on the other are separately removed.

From what has preceded and from the drawings' it will be noted and observed that in the normal functioning of the apparatus or system -of Figure 1, or of 'the apparatus orl system 'of Figure 2, there is `a cyclic path which may be referred to as a closed lcyclic path within, through, or along whichv a cur rent of gas' circulates; in other words, within .4

this-path the circulation of the gas 'is maintained by suitable means as fan d of Figure 1` or by the functioning oflinjector. pipe u of Figure 2. The cyclic path of the system com'- rises, is provided with, or incllides`a caronizing zone (to wit, a zone wherein the coal. that is fedffrom the hopper a andfeed-4 ing device b into the circulatingl gases, is actu'- ally to the length of the pi ing or lengthof the gas travel, may exten to or even-into the space. where the actual separation of the hot gasor gases and resulting carbonized dust takes place by means of the Cyclonic or ven'- carbonized) and which zone, according trifugal actionof a cyclone which is maintained Within the separator. l

Having thus described the nature of the' said invention and the best means I knouT 5.for carrying the same`into practical effect,

I claim 1. A process of carbonizing finely -subdivided soli d carbonizable fuel comprising susypending the finely sub-divided fuel in a gas which is substantially chemically inert with respect to the fuel and is in a chamber and is maintained at altemperature necessary for effecting carbonization ofthe fuel, which process includes removing a portion of the.

gases from the chamber, burning the said ortion in close proximity to the zone of carbonizationmd introducing the hot roducts of combustion into the said zone se t iat they travel therein in such manner as to delay settling of the particles by gravitation and so that the heat thus introduced by the introduction of the hot products of combustion into the carbonizing zone is substantially the sole source of heat for maintaining Within the chamber the temperature necessary for effecting the carboni'zation of the fuel and collecting in finely subdivided state the carbonized fuel thus produced.

2. A process of carbonizing finely subdi-A vided solid carbonizable fuel comprising suspending the finely sub-divided fuel in a gas in a chamber, which gas is substantially chemically inert with respect to the fuel and:

is at a temperature necessary for carbonization of the fuel, which process includes removing a portion of the gases from the chambei', burning the said portion in close proximity to the zone of carbonization, introducing the hot products of combustion into the 4o said zonev so that they travel in such manner as to delay settlingof the particles by gravitation and effect the carbonization of the fuel and maintain heat for the carbonization solely by the heat supplied by the introduction ofthe `hot products of, combustion into said zone and then separating the carbonized fuel thus produced from the travelling gascous products in finely 'subdivided state and causing a portion of the said gaseous products to continue to travel in a closed circuit and receive fresh fuel' and pass through said zone of carbonization, some of the products of carbonization being removed from the apparatus.

3. A process of carbonizing finely subdivided solid carbonizable fuel comprising susxpendin the finely subdivided fuelin a lgas L1n a c amber, Awhich gas is substantie 1y chemically inert Withrespect to thefuel and 6c is maintained at avtemperature necessary for carbonization of the fuel, which process includes removing. a portion of the gases from the chamberfburning the said close roximity to the zone of car onization, imV intro ucing the hot products of combustion ortion in by' gravitation and, in'a portion of their course, in an upward direction 'with dimin` ishing velocity, then separating the carbonized fuel thus produced from theftravelling gaseous products iu finely subdivided state and causing a portion of the/said products to continue to travel in a closed circuit and receive. fresh fuel and pass through said zone of carbonization, some of the products of carbonzation .being removed from the apparatus. v

4. A process of carbonizing finely subdivided solid carbonizablc fuel comprising suspending the finely sub-divided fuel in a gas in a chamber, which gas is substantially chemically inert with respect to the fuel. and is maintained at a temperature necessaryV for carbonization of the fuel, which process inclu'des removing a portion of the gases from the chamber, burning the said portion in close proximity to the zone of carbonization,

V introducing the hot-'products of combustion into the Said zone so that they travel in such manner as to delay settling of the particles by gravitation and in such a manner that there is relative movement between the particles land the gases and whereby the heat for the carbonization is maintained solely by the het productsl of combustion introduced into thc carbonizing zone, and then separating the fcarbonized fuel thus produced fronrthc travelling gaseous products in finely sub-divided state and causing a portion of the said gaseous products to continue to travel in a closed circuit and receive fresh fuel and passthrough said zone of carbonization, some of the' products of carbonlzation being removed from the apparatus.

5. The process which comprises feeding pulverized coal into a closed cyclic pat-l1 providin a zone of carbonization and therein direc carried and maintained in 4suspension in het gases which-are substantially chemically inert with respect to the coal to the distillation effect of the hot gases so that carbonization of the coal is effected substantially solely by the direct heat f-rom the gases, circulating theA hot gases in rthe closed cyclic patlnwhich y subjecting the pulverized coalwhileV gaseous gases are maintained at the necessary tem rature for carbonizat-ion by 'heat supp ied within the zone of carbonization, the temperature'of which closed ncyclic-path is about. 500 to 800 centigradeafter the admission of the coal thereinto and .whichhotgases are moving' so as to delay settling of the pulverized coal by -grswitation until a substantial volatile content is distilled from the coal and until there results carbonized residue, pep

mitting an escape from the cyclic path of some of the gases tof the process,-and withdrawing the partially carbonized residue.

6. The carbonization of coal by the procese iso which includes feeding pulverized coal into a' closed cyclic path having a carbonizing zone and carbonizng ythe coal solely by the direct' heat of a gaseous medium substantially cheml ically inertl with respect to the coal circulating through and along the closed cyclic path, the temperature ofwhich gaseous medium within'the closed cyclic path is about 500 to 800 degrees C. after the admission of the coal tov he carbonized, causing the gaseous medium ,t0 move in a manner to delay settling of the ,"'coal particles by gravitation .until the coal a cl'osedcyc c path ha-ving ytherein a earbonizi zone and a maintained cyclone zone,

along w lich cyclic path there is a vcurrent of circulating, which gas is chemically inert with respect to the coal, the temperature within said cyclic path being about 500 tol 800 degrees C. after the admission of the ulverized coal,vmaintaining thegas circulatlng so that the pulverized coal is heated sub- 'stantiallysolely by the gas circulating along the closed cyclic path andvwhile the coal is in suspension in the vcirculating gas, which gas is maintained at least up to the stated temperatureY range by heat supplied within and to the carbonizing zone, causing vthe resulting hot dust and as to enter tangentially into the mai'n'taine' -c clone zone by which the dust is separated rom the gas by centrifuga] action, withdrawing some of the gas ofthe process from the cyclic. path, `and collecting the dust/thus separated from the gas as carbonized dust, some of thedust returning to the. carbonlzlngzone for use in maintaining the process. j

8. The method comprising feeding pulver` ized coal to be carbonized into a current of hot ases circulating within and yalong a clo cycli'c path that includes a carbonizing zone and a cyclone zone, within which cyclic .path the c oal is'suspended and carbonized' while in suspension in the circulating hotgases as they'- pass through the carbonizmg zone and from which hot gases the carbon- .iz'ed coal dust is separated by the cyclonieaction ofthe cyclone zone an which gases are substantially chemically inert with respect to theVl coal, maintainn said Acirculation ot thcfgases within and a. ong the cyclic path,

withdrawing some ofthe gasesof the process after the separation of carbonized coal dust` therefrom, supplying heat to the circulating gases after the separation of the carbonizcd dusttherefrom by said cyclonic action so as to complete the heat requisite for the carbonization, and withdrawing the-ca-rbonized coal dust after said separation.

9. The carbnizing of coal by a. method which employs a closed cyclic,A path having Vtherein a cyclone zone and according to which method pulverized coal is fed into a current of gas circulating through theclosed cyclic path, said gas being substantiallyv chemically inert with respect to the coal and the temperature of which circulating gas is about 500 to 800 degrees after the admission of pulverized coal, also according to which method the gas circulation is maintained and serves tol hold the coal in suspension While .being carbonized, the temperature of the circulating gas being maintained up to the stated temperature ,range by heat supplied within the zone of 'carbonization and the resulting carbonized product and gas being caused to be separated by cyclonic action of the cyclone zone, the carbonized dust thus'separa-ted from the gas being removed and some of the gases being withdrawn while the rest of the gases continue in circulation.

10. The carbonizing of solid earbonizable fuel in finely divided form so as to obtain a sol i subdivided coke bythe method which comprises feedin a currentof ot gases that are substantially chemically inert with respect-to the fuel and which gases are circulating along a closed cyclic path providing therein a carbonizing zone including a maintained cyclone zone, the circulation of the hot frases-being such as to maint-ain the coal undiergoing treatment in suspension in the .carbonizing zone, the temperature of the gases in the cyclic path being about 500 to 800 degrees C. after the "admissionof the solid fuel to becarbonized and which temperature is ymaintained up to the lower of .said stated temperatures by-heat supplied ,to the zone of carbonization, causing the mixture of solid fuel and gases with which it is intimately mixed to pass tangentially into the cyclone zone so that the solid fuel and the 'gases are separated by the cyclonic action, and separately withdrawing l the resulting solid fuel and someV of the gases.

while allowing other of the gases to continue in circulation,

' In Witness vvhereoij I hereunto sign 'myname.

A SAMUEL MQEWEN.

the pulverized solid fuel into 

